Treasure Valley vintners like Ted Judd have studied winemaking every way they can.
They’ve pored over books amassed in home libraries. They’ve driven four and five hours to Walla Walla and Tri-Cities, Wa., for college-level short courses. They’ve taken online classes from far-flung universities, including University of California, Davis.
But soon, they may not have to travel far or go online.
Treasure Valley Community College is close to putting together the framework for a viticulture and enology program, said Susan Tinker, interim dean of instruction at the college in Ontario.
The college hasn’t yet committed to launching a program but if things stay on track, there could be classes offered by the fall of 2009.
“If they build it, we will come,” said Judd, one of the founders of the Treasure Valley Wine Society and owner of Vin du Bois Winery.
A college-level viticulture and enology program could add to the buzz about the Valley’s small but growing wine industry, which got a boost last year when the Snake River Valley was officially deemed a unique wine-producing region with its federal designation as an American Viticultural Area.
Local residents who are serious about making good wine — for business, pleasure or both —know they’re not alone in their desire to improve their skills.
“I was on a waiting list to get into WSU’s online program,” said John Danielson, a Meridian resident who is part of a new winery venture in Garden City.
Danielson is close to earning a certificate in enology through UC Davis.
“I think it would be awesome if they had a program here,” he said.
RETURNING HOME TO IDAHO TO MAKE WINEThere are about 32 wineries in Idaho, about half of which are in the Treasure Valley. That number pales in comparison to roughly 400 wineries in Oregon and nearly 500 in Washington — about 120 in Walla Walla alone, according to wine association data.
Though Idaho’s wine industry is comparatively small, it is growing.
Some of the Valley’s newest winemakers are Idaho natives who believe they can make great wine here. They include Gina Davis of Davis Creek Cellars, Melanie Krause of Cinder winery, Mike Crowley of Syringa winery and Angie Riff of Vinemakers LLC.
TVCC STUDIES SETUP OF WALLA WALLA PROGRAMTVCC officials have been investigating the possibility of creating a viticulture and enology program for more than a year.
Tinker said it’s not a huge stretch for the community college, which has a strong agriculture program that includes crop science.
“We’re doing our homework,” she said, later adding, “We’re not just casually inquiring. We’re pretty much on a mission.”
They have visited Valley wineries. They’ve also studied successful programs at other schools, including Walla Walla Community College.
“We looked at their entire setup,” Tinker said.
The 8-year-old Walla Walla Community College program attracts students from all over the country. Current enrollment is 126 students, including 65 fulltime.
“Walla Walla is very unique. You’re really getting hands-on experience,” said Valerie Fayette, director of the Center for Enology & Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.
The college has a small vineyard and a winery on campus where enology students make and bottle wine.
Fayette said students in the program get jobs as assistant winemakers, vineyard managers and tasting room managers. Many plan to start their own wineries.
VITIVULTURE STUDY ONGOING IN VALLEYResearchers at the University of Idaho’s Parma Research and Extension Center have been involved in viticulture for years.
Two scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service work at the Parma center. One is looking at how to minimize irrigation without negatively impacting fruit quality, the other is studying how different management practices affect wine quality, said Bob Martin, Corvallis, Ore.-based research leader for the USDA’s Horticulture Crops Research Unit.
There are a half dozen U of I researchers at the Parma station. Professor Essie Fallahi said university researchers have evaluated different wine grape varieties’ suitability for Idaho’s climate and soils.
Boise State University has no plan at this time to offer a viticulture/enology program, said Susan Johnson, manager for the Horticulture Technology Program at the Selland College at BSU. But soon it will be doing a survey of industry needs in the Valley.
“Part of our funding is based on making sure these people (graduates) have jobs,” Johnson said.
GETTING STARTEDTVCC Interim Dean Tinker believes the college’s strong ag program provides a good basis for starting a viticulture and enology program.
“We can utilize what we already have — we’ve got irrigation, crop science and pesticides classes,” she said.
A January Wall Street Journal article about Walla Walla’s program said the community college received help getting started from several sources, including $1 million from the Washington Legislature for startup costs and $100,000 from the USDA for tanks.
Treasure Valley Community College has submitted a grant request for $35,000 to USDA for curriculum development, Tinker said.
“We’ve got a lot of ideas — with a goal,” she said.
Katy Moeller: 377-6413
